Maximum-demand electric meter.



L. H. GONKLIN.

MAXIMUM DEMAND ELECTRIC METER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1910.

1,1 10,254, Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

WITNESSES m/mvroe Z simmer/f fold/1)! fiend/ hVMW/wa.

ATTORIVHS meter casing 1. The lever 12 carries a LEANDEE HULL CONKLIN, OFEAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

MAXIMUM-DEMAND ELECTRIC METER. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Se t. 8, 1914..

Application filed November 16, 1910. Serial No. 592,629. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEANDER. H. CoNKLIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Maximum-Demand Electric Meter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electric meters, my more particular purpose being to produce a simple and efficient form of maximum demand electric meter-adapted for alternating currents, and more especially polyphase currents.

More particularly stated, my invention comprehends a maximum demand alternating current metersoarranged that in order to practically measure all of the current flowing through three wires, the meter need only be connected with two of said wires.

My invention proceeds partially upon the principle that in three-phase systems the algebraic sum of the currents at any particular moment passing through two specified wires is exactly proportionate to the currents passing through all three of the wires.

My improved meter, to be suitable for measuring three-phase currents, need not be provided with three sets of binding-postsv two sets sufiicing to make the connections. The mechanism of the meter is for the same reason rendered exceedingly simple the number of parts employed being reduced to a minimum, other things being equal.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawing forn'iing a part of this specification, in which the figure, partly in elevation and partly diagrammatic, showsmy improved meter connected up with a threewire system. i

The meter casing is shown at 1 and is provided with supporting ears 2 and 3, and with a raised wall 4, these parts being preferably integral. The wall 4 is provided with an extending portion 5 and mounted within the latter are two blocks 6, 7 of insulating material. At 8, 9 are two wires or conductors adapted to be heated by electric currents. These wires are connected by a bar lOmade of insulating material. The intermediate portion of this bar is pivotedto' a link 11, the opposite end of this link being pivoted to a lever .12. This lever 12 is, by aid of a pivot pin 13,v supported by the ln 14 and is retracted by a spring 12*. v I

At 15 is an ind icatin needle, the lower end of which 1s dispose adjacent an arouate scale 16 provided with graduations 157.

The needle 15 is mounted upon a friction pivot 18that is to say, the friction pivot tends to hold the needle 15 gently'in any positlon to which the needle may be turned, the friction of the pivot being sufiicient for retaining the needle after it has been moved, but not being of such value as to enable the needle to be moved too easily.' The pin'l, by lodging against the needle 15,

causes the latter to swing with its lower end to the left, according to the-figure, un-

til the arm 12 has finished its movement to to'the right according to the figure, the pm 14 merely clears the needle/ 15 but leaves binding posts carried by the blocks 6, 7 and insulated from the portion 5 ofthe wall. At 25, 26, 27 are the wires of a threethe left. After this, if the arm 12 swings- 'sulated from the wall' 4. At 23, 24 are q phase system. At 26, 27 are wires which are practically continuations of the wires 26 27.

In order to connect my improved meter With the system, the wire 27 is secured to the outer end of the binding post 21 and the wire .26 .is similarly secured to the outer end of the binding post 22. The wire 27 is connected with the binding post 23 and the wire 26 with the binding post 2 1.

The operation of my device is'as follows: The current flowing through. the wires 26, 27, energizes the meter by following two circuits, as follows: source of supply, wire 27, binding post 21, flexible wire 19, heating wire 8, binding post 23, Wire 27*, thence through the load to one or both of the wires 25, 26 thence returning to source of supply; also source of supply,'wire 26, binding post 24., heating wire 9, flexible wire 20, binding post 22, wire 26,-thence through the load to one or both wires 25, 27 thence back to source of supply.

It will be noted that as thus used the meter had no direct connection with one of the wires, which in this instance 1s the wire 25. This fact, however, is immaterial, for the reason above explained-to Wit, that the currents flowing through any two of the wires have adefinite proportion to the total current flowing through all three of the wires.

LIy purpose in having two of the heating wires 8, 9 connected with a lever 10 and having this lever balanced upon its center relatively to the link 11 is to cause the needle 15 to equate the effects of the two separate wires 8, 9. That is to say, the needle 15 under the joint control of the two heating wires 8, 9 makes an indication representing the mean expansion of the two wires. It may happen that in any particular one of the wires 2-5, 26, 27 the current differs from that in either of the other of these threewires While this is the case, the mean or average current of any two of the wires may not equal, but will nevertheless be proportionate to, the corresponding eiiect produced upon all three of these wires.

I use the terms hot wires and heating wires in a broad sense, meaning thereby members which, under the action of an electric current passing through them, are varied in volume. 'The terms indicating needle and indicating member I use also in a broad sense, meaning thereby any kind ofindicating device.

I do not limitmyself to the particular construction shown, the scope of my invention being commensurate with my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a pair of thermally expansible conductors, each of which is ada ted to receive current fiowin in one leg of a circuit, one end of each of the conductors being fixed, the free ends of the conductors being connected by a bar of insulating material, an index frictionally mounted on a suitable support and adapted to swing through a suitable angle, a lever movably supported adjacent the index, means connecting the said lever and the said insulating bar, a pin von said lever adapted for engagement with the index. whereby when the conductors through the heating eifects of the currents passing through them, the said lever will be moved, contraction of the said conductors moving the said .pin out of engagement with the said index, the index being left in the position to which it was brought.

2. The combination of a pair of thermally expansible conductors, one end of each being fixed in position, each conductor being adapted to be placed in one leg of a suitable circuit, an insulating bar connecting the conductors, a needle pivotally supported in.

position and adapted to be moved through expand adjacent the needle, a link connecting the lever and the said bar, together with means carried by the lever and adapted to engage the needle whereby the same ismoved when the expansion of the said conductors moves the said lever through the medium of the link, contraction of the conductors moving the link and with it the lever out of engagement with the needle, the needle being left in .the position to which it was moved.

3. The combination of a fixed pair of thermally expansible conductors supported in position, each of which is adapted to be placed in an electric circuit, a bar connecting the said conductors, a lever, a link connecting the bar and the lever, a spring having one end thereof in engagement with the lever, the other end thereof being fixed, a needle, and means on the lever adapted to engage the needle whereby the same is moved when the lever is moved through the conjoint action of the expansion of the said conductors, due to .the currents flowing through them and they said spring, contrac tion of the said conductors moving the lever ,being adjacent one end, a link connecting the said bar and the lever, a spring in engagement with the lever, the other .end of the spring being xed, a pin on the lever, an index frictionally carried on a suitable support whereby, when the said conductors are lengthened by the heating effect of I the currents, the lever will be moved and the pin thereon will engage the index to move the same in one direction, contraction of the said conductors moving the lever against the tension of the said spring and carrying the pin on the lever out of engagement with the index, the index being left in the position to which it is brought,

5. The combination of a pair of thermally expansible conductors, each of which is adapted to receive current flowing in one leg of a circuit, one end of each of the conductors being fixed, the front ends of the conductors being connected by a bar of insulating material, an index, a support therefor, a member movably supported adjacent the index, means connecting the said member and the said insulating bar, and means on the member for engagement with the index so that when the conductors expand through the heating effects of the current passing through them, the said member will tors, a needle pivotally supported in posi-- tion and adapted to be moved through different angles, a member pivotally supported adjacent the needle, a connection between the member and bar, and means carried by the member and adapted to. engage the needle whereby the same is moved when the expansion of said conductors moves the said member, the contraction of the conductors moving the said member out of engagement with the needle so that the needle vwill be.

left in the position to which it was moved.

7. The combination of a fixed pair of thermally 'e-xpansible conductors supported in position, each'of which is adapted to be placed in an electric circuit, an insulating member connecting said conductors, a movable member connected to the insulating member, a spring for moving the second member in one direction, a needle and means on the second member adapted to engage the needle whereby the, same is moved through the joint actionlof the expansion of the said conductors due to the current.

needle being left in the position to which it was previously moved.

8. The combination of a pair of thermally expansible conductors, each of which is adapted to be placed in a suitable electric circuit, the conductors being fixed in position, one end of each of the conductors being connected by a bar of insulating material, a. swinging member connected to said bar, a spring connected to the member to impart movement thereto, an index pointer adjacent to the member and adapted'to remain in any I position to which it is moved, and means 0 the index pointer by the said swinging member when the conductors are lengthened by the heat-mg effects of the current.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses. LEAN%ER HULL CONKLIN.

Witnesses:

' C. A. GREENIDGE,

WM. FLoYn CRosnY.

r causing the movement of 

